Riley Dorgan from the Fit to Drive program. 71424 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By XAVIER SMERDON
AN INNOVATIVE program that uses young people to teach other young people the risks of dangerous driving is hoping to make a difference to the western suburb’s road toll.
Fit to Drive (F2D) was created in 2001 by high school principal Graeme Spencer after his school had lost several students in car accidents.
A few years later Gavin MacDonald, also a former high school principal who had seen students become part of the road toll, decided to bring the program to the West.
“I had lost some students which had been very difficult for me so immediately after I retired I got involved in traffic management programs,” Mr MacDonald told Star.
“I asked if I could help bring the program to the western suburbs and it’s my whole life now.”
The F2R program is different to other teenager education programs in that the organisers recruit facilitators from universities and use them to get their messages across.
Over half a day, Year 11 students learn the consequences of taking risks on the road. So far the program has a 97 per cent approval rating from the students that have taken part.
“It’s not a bunch of old people standing in front of a class room and telling kids not to speed,” Mr MacDonald said.
“That’s what we’ve tried to do. We’ve tried to make it more approachable and I think that’s why it’s been so well received by the kids.”
Riley Dorgan was a student at Werribee Secondary College when she first took part in F2R. Now she is one of the university recruited facilitators.
“When Gavin first came to my school and did his introductory speech it sort of stuck with me,” Ms Dorgan said.
“He spoke about his own experience with hoon driving and he related it to us.
“I think at times the kids think it’s going to be a fun day to get out of classes, but then by the end they think, ‘Wow, this could really happen to me’.”
F2R is supported by the Roadsafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council.
